The aim of this study is to shape a sensible, intelligible philosophy—the unity of the subtitle—of punk rock, a philosophy that resists historical and cultural specifics, and categorization and containment, scholarly or otherwise. By grounding his argument in a theoretical hybrid of ideological rhetorical criticism and Gramscian analysis, Kristianson, the lead author (of four), offers a convincing critique of historical, sociological, and cultural readings of punk only to affirm, finally, the difficulty of transcending these critical frameworks in articulating a unifying philosophy. Far more successful are readings of four punk rock recordings, each representing a different decade. Bad Religion's 1988 release Suffer emerges as the strongest, most sustained, and most convincing example of how punk rock might look and sound....An important book, not least for its review and synthesis of more than 40 years of punk rock commentary and criticism. Recommended.